I have lived with Ralph Kirkpatrick's anthology of sixty Scarlatti sonatas for many years and have yet to exhaust the volume. I have used the book to learn Scarlatti on the piano and also as a guide to listening to recorded works. Domenico Scarlatti (1685 -- 1757) wrote over 550 short, quirky keyboard sonatas in binary form -- that is, each work consists of two parts, both of which are repeated. Scarlatti's works are essential for both pianists and harpsichordists.
The American scholar Ralph Kirkpatrick (1911 -- 1984) was a champion of Scarlatti's work. Kirkpatrick prepared a chronological list of the sonatas, indicated by the prefix "K" which identifies and organizes Scarlatti's output, even though it has not displaced the earlier Longo "L" listing prepared in the early 20th Century. Kirkpatrick wrote a biography of Scarlatti (1953) --Domenico Scarlatti -- and was a gifted performer of his music, together with the works of Bach. In 1953, together with the biography, Kirkpatrick prepared this anthology of sixty Scarlatti sonatas which has given many pianists, including myself, their opportunity to learn to study and play Scarlatti. The anthology is available either in a single volume or in two separate volumes each including thirty sonatas. Kirkpatrick also recorded the sixty sonatas included in the anthology
The sonatas are arranged chronologically in accordance with Kirkpatrick's ordering. In his Preface to the volume, Kirkpatrick points out that Scarlatti's emotional scope changed with time and that "[I]t is only with the latter sonatas that a total expressive range becomes apparent that runs the gamut of an entire fund of distilled life-experience." Kirkpatrick chose the sonatas in this anthology "to represent as directly as possible the expressive range of Scarlatti's harpsichord music and the evolution of his style."
The anthology begins with K. 3 in a minor and concludes with K. 545 in B-flat major. It includes works in many moods, characters, tempos.. Of the sixty sonatas, seventeen are in a minor key. Kirkpatrick's selections emphasize the "paired" character, writing two related works in the same key, of many of the sonatas. The sonatas are at varying levels of difficulty but there is ample material in the volume within the reach of the serious amateur pianist. Kirkpatrick's Preface to the volume, which encourages pianists to explore these works for themselves, is a valuable introduction to the sonatas. Kirkpatrick also includes guidance, in a question-and-answer format, to performance issues including fingering, technical problems, ornamentation, phrasing, melodic and harmonic inflection, tempo and rhythm, dynamics, and expressive character. The book offers excellent advice in learning Scarlatti together with the anthology of sixty works.
I have browsed many of the sonatas in this anthology over the years and also played other Scarlatti. Here is a list of some of the sonatas I have studied and enjoyed in Kirkpatrick's collection.
K.3 K.54 K. 96 K. 115 K. 132 K.133 K.420 K.427 K.461 K.471 K. 544 K.545
My love for Scarlatti has deepened over the years both as a listener and as an amateur pianist. Scarlatti composed many rewarding sonatas that are not included in this anthology. Still, this collection is one of the books of music that has a large place in my heart. It offers budding pianists an overview and a guide to Scarlatti that will inspire them to explore and live with his music.